3 reasons the Chicago Cubs are World Series contenders

Chicago Cubs: Rotation firing on all cylinders

Plenty of baseball fans and writers–myself included–wondered whether the Cubs had the rotation depth to be successful.

The arms in the starting staff are aging, with guys like Jon Lester and Jose Quintana seemingly waning in terms of effectiveness. Moreover, there were questions as to who might be the fifth starter.

But, so far, Chicago’s rotation has been the strongest component of the 2020 squad.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

Yu Darvish has since recovered from a tough first start, and Kyle Hendricks figures to remain steady as ever. Tyler Chatwood had a clunker against the Kansas City Royals, but his walk rate (2.4 free passes per nine innings) is solid, and his peripherals look good.

Meanwhile, Lester and Alec Mills look like major assets.

Lester entered Tuesday night’s start in the 94th percentile in terms of average exit velocity and 85th percentile in hard-hit percentage, per Baseball Savant. Despite hardly getting any swings-and-misses, Lester is working the zone and inducing a lot of soft contact.

“Big Jon” was at it again on Tuesday against the Indians, allowing just three hits and one run in six innings of work. He is having a ton of success mixing cutters and changeups to right-handed hitters.

Mills is another soft-tosser who keeps hitters off balance with massive discrepancies in velocity. The 28-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity and 94th percentile in hard-hit percentage, per Baseball Savant.

Both Lester and Mills seem to have found the formula for getting outs despite a lackluster strikeout rate, and their advanced metrics suggest the results are real.

The 2019 Washington Nationals proved just how important a deep staff can be in making a World Series run. The Cubs will hope to emulate that model throughout the rest of 2020 and into October.

Chicago Cubs: Lots of depth and a fluid bullpen situation

Quality depth was another question mark for the Cubs heading into the season. But David Ross has done a tremendous job of mixing and matching his personnel.

Ian Happ’s emergence as the everyday center fielder has allowed Ross to platoon guys like Jason Kipnis and David Bote to perfection.

Kipnis has been a phenomenal pickup, entering Tuesday’s contest with a 1.382 OPS before going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk against the Indians. He has been able to spot Nico Hoerner at second base, and might also play some outfield.

Victor Caratini was 0-fer on Tuesday, but had started to get things going in the last few games. David Bote can also play second or the hot corner, and is another guy who offers lineup flexibility.

Believe it or not, the depth also extends to the bullpen.

Remember, the Cubs will likely deploy a four-man rotation come October. This means guys like Quintana and either of Mills or Chatwood can be used out of the bullpen for the playoffs.

That is a serious boon for Ross, particularly if the rotation guys continue to do their job and eat innings.

Jeremy Jeffress has a 0.17 WHIP despite a decline in velocity. Rowan Wick looks like the new go-to option in the closing role.

Moreover, right-hander Colin Rea looked very impressive on Tuesday, throwing a pair of scoreless innings and routinely touching 96 mph with the fastball.

The Cubs are unlikely to need a ton of relievers in the postseason. But if guys like Rea can be effective and the likes of Mills, Chatwood or Quintana become available, Ross could suddenly find himself with a crop of more reliable arms. Plus, the Cubs could make a move for a key arm at the August trade deadline.

Just imagine if Craig Kimbrel can rebound in a new role.

Chicago Cubs: Energy and enthusiasm

Sometimes, the intangibles can make all the difference in winning a World Series.

The Cubs still had a young roster in 2016, but there was a certain energy and belief in the clubhouse, one that helped propel Chicago to a pair of comebacks in the NLCS and World Series.

This team seems to be invoking that same energetic spirit.

Ross said at the beginning of the year he wants to win a trophy, regardless of the circumstances or potential asterisks surrounding the season. The Cubs are also finding ways to bring their own energy in the absence of fans.

It is also worth noting the Cubs have been all business when it comes to health and safety protocols regarding COVID-19. This is of no small importance, considering outbreaks elsewhere.

The Baseball Reference Pythagorean win-loss record might not believe in Chicago’s hot start.

However, the Cubs have all the makings of a World Series contender early in the 2020, even with Bryant, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber struggling to get it going.

If the stars start to produce, this club could rampage through the rest of the regular season and into October.